Re: Winding primary

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: Gregory Hunter <ghunter31014-at-yahoo-dot-com> 


--- Tesla list <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com> wrote:
 > Original poster: dhmccauley-at-spacecatlighting-dot-com
 >
 > What kind of primary are you trying to wind.  The
 > primary coil is the
 > easiest thing of all
 >
 > Dan

I once heard a similar speech from my calculus
instructor. He just couldn't understand why I couldn't
understand. After all, calc is the easiest thing in
the world--to him! My point is, most skills seem easy
to those who have mastered them. More than one new
subscriber to this list has complained about their
kinked, uneven, ugly, first-ever primary, and vented
much frustration about stiff, springy, tangly, kinky,
uncooperative copper tube!

Having said all that, there are some things you can do
to get your primary wound nice & even. Assuming you
have already completed a suitable primary support
structure, start from the inside of the spiral and
work your way outward. 50-foot spools of soft
refrigeration tubing come already coiled, so don't
fight it--just transfer the coil to your supports. The
tube is already formed into a spiral for you. With
minimal flexing, you can guide it onto your primary
supports, anchoring each turn as you go. Don't be
afraid to adjust the turns after you have the spiral
wound. Cu tube is soft and can usually be bent,
pushed, or warped into the desired shape. Finally, if
the first primary looks like a nightmare, discard the
Cu tube and try again. You're only out $12 or
so--chicken feed in this cash-intensive hobby!

=====
Gregory R. Hunter

http://hot-streamer-dot-com/greg